THE construction of the Neckartal Dam in the //Karas region is 44% complete, the minister of agriculture, water and forestry John Mutorwa said on Tuesday.
The dam is being built some 40 kilometres north-west of Keetmanshoop in the Fish River in the Snyfontein area of the Berseba village.
Mutorwa was speaking at the ninth water and sanitation sector joint annual review meeting.
“A number of programme actions to improve access to water and ensure water security have been implemented, among others the construction of the Neckartal Dam which is 44% complete,” he noted.
Italian company Salini SPA secured the N$2,8 billion tender for the construction of the dam.
The dam is one of the country’s single biggest investments, with the creation of an estimated 12 000 permanent jobs after completion in 2017.
However, the dam also came with many hiccups, including court cases.
In December last year, the Hendrik Tseib Community Liaison Committee (HTCLC) successfully managed to stop work for one full day at the dam construction.
According to HTCLC, the Italian company was flouting tender specifications.
In May 2014, local media reported that workers were claiming abuse at the hands of their Italian employers, citing nepotism, exploitation and unfair labour practices. Workers expressed grievances over allegations of discrimination, human rights violations, victimisation, racism, and unfair dismissal, among a host of other things.
The High Court ruled in April 2013 that the tender be sent back to be re-evaluated by the Tender Board.
Salini was initially awarded the tender for the dam project in March 2012, but the decision was successfully challenged in court by CSC Joint Venture.
In August 2013, Salini was re-awarded the tender.
Mutorwa handed over the site to the contractors at a ground-breaking ceremony outside the town in September 2013.
The project is also expected to support 5000 hectares of irrigated agriculture. The dam will be Namibia’s biggest – about three times bigger than the Hardap Dam near Mariental in the Hardap region.
– Nampa
